I've decided to write Kycen's birth story...nothing too gruesome, just maybe a little more than a younger audience would want to read. Afterall, birth is not a pretty sight...
It was just another day (a Tuesday to be exact) in the life of pregnant me. I had a doctors appointment in the early afternoon, where I was inflicted with what I thought to be excruciating pain-my doctor swept my membranes. She said my cervix was really soft and I was dilated to a 2! She seemed to think that maybe the sweeping might put me into labor within the next couple of days. I came back to work and would have these pains in my belly, where my belly would totally distort and get all hard. I thought it was just my baby moving/stretching weird because I could usually push where his butt (or knee/elbow) was pushing out and the pain would stop. Little did I realize that I was having what some in the baby world referred to as CONTRACTIONS! I never had contractions the first time around, so I had nooo idea what they were or what they really felt like.
I had errands and stuff to do after I picked up Preslie from daycare, and I was meeting Desmond for dinner. I was 2 weeks from my due date and wasn't thinking I'd be having a baby before the weekend. WRONG! I met Desmond at the laundromat and by now had figured out that I was having contractions. He asked how far apart they were, and was mad that I hadn't been timing them! So I started watching the clock while he took Preslie across the street for a drink and to go potty. They weren't very regular; it would go 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 15 minutes. I had always heard to not head to the hospital until they were 5 minutes apart and regular. Mine weren't, so I thought I was good.
Wrong again! We got to TGIFridays for dinner, ordered our food, and the contractions picked up. I was in so much pain! They were coming regularly; every (at most) 5 minutes. And they lasted the longest 1-2 minutes of my life. By this point I had tried to eat maybe 2 bites and Desmond suggested we go to the hospital. I said no and that I'd drive to my moms so that I could drop Preslie off and get my mom. He said absolutely not, as I could hardly drive at that point. The reason I didn't want him to take me was because I knew he didn't want to be there and he didn't want to meet my family for the first time under those circumstances. Needless to say, I lost the argument, and he drove me to the hospital. On the way, I called my mom to leave work to head up to the hospital, called Kim since she was my support throughout my entire pregnancy and was going to be in the room, and my dad to bring my bag and come get Preslie.
I could barely walk into the hospital. Preslie was probably scared to death thinking I was dying or something! I checked in at the maternity ward, and they told me to have a seat and WAIT! The nerve! Did they not see how much pain I was in? My doctor passed by us on her way out to grab some dinner and told me she'd see me tomorrow. Ha! After what seemed like an eternity, a nurse came and got me (taking me away from the maternity wing to the regular rooms) as Desmond was sitting with Preslie and my mom was coming up the elevator. The nurse asked me to change into a gown and pee in a cup. The 2nd never happened as when I sat down I thought my baby was going to fall out if I tried to push some pee out, and I was in the throes of a major contraction. She said they wanted to check me because they didn't want to put me in a birthing room until I was over 6 cm dilated. The nurse said she was pretty certain I was at least that, but had to follow orders. Another nurse came in, checked me, yelled that I was an 8.5 and to call my doctor back and get me to a birthing room. I briefly remember having my family walk to the door as I was trying to walk out, and hugging Preslie. I ended up asking for a wheelchair because I couldn't walk far without having a 'stopinmytracks' contraction.
I got to the room, and it was like a race against the clock to hurry and get things done. It took 4 attempts to get an IV in my hand, because they kept collapsing my veins. 5th attempt went in my wrist. I had tested Group B Strep positive, so they were trying to get the meds up and in me prior to delivery so I didn't pass it to my baby during delivery. They had several nurses running around getting the room set up for the delivery. And then came the big question, "can I have an epidural?" Well the answer to that was no I couldn't have the traditional epidural because I would've divered by the time it took effect. So I got a Spinal Block, which would last exactly ONE HOUR before it wore off and I'd start feeling everything.
The clock was ticking. My doctor broke my water. I was a 10. I felt ready to push. Leg stirrup things came out, and I started pushing. Karen was massaging and stretching "down there" so that I didn't tear. I pushed and pushed. All the while I could hear my phone buzzing (it was on vibrate). 5 rounds of pushes, and just like that, my sweet little boy was born! From the time I checked into the hospital to the time I delivered was less than 2 hours! I couldn't believe it went by so quickly. One minute I could feel him kicking me, and the next he was born and I was holding him.
Before
After
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